How do I connect my plug-in solar inverter to the S-Miles Home monitoring app?

Plug the inverter in first, then pair it. The app will find the microinverter if it is wired up, the panels are in the sun, and the inverter shows a flashing green light. When it does find it, it asks for a pairing PIN. The default, 123456, is printed on the label on the inverter. Enter that and the app immediately asks you to replace it with a "pairing password", then asks for the PIN again. The two are the same thing, so whatever you enter as the pairing password becomes your new pin. We agree this is confusing and are working with the manufacturer to improve the usability.

None of this affects your electricity: the inverter generates power whether or not you ever open the app.

The order of operations matters. Connect the panels to the inverter, plug the inverter into a working outlet, and wait. Hoymiles' own quick installation guide tells you to allow five minutes after power-on before the system starts generating.

The app asks for a PIN, then a pairing password. Which is which?

They are the same value under two names. The default PIN gets you in once, the app makes you replace it with the pairing password, and you need to enter that when asked for the PIN again. We agree this is confusing and have raised it with the manufacturer.

Do I need to type in the serial number?

No. There are two barcodes on the back of the inverter, one for the microinverter and one for the data transfer unit, and that pair is a common source of confusion. Record the microinverter serial number for your own files, as the installation guide suggests, but you should not have to enter it. The app finds the inverter by scanning for it while it is powered and producing.

Which Wi-Fi network does the inverter need?

A 2.4 GHz one. The inverter's datasheet lists a built-in 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module, so a network running only on 5 GHz will not pair. If your network hides its name, try making it visible while you pair and hiding it again afterwards.

Does my kit still work if I never get the app running?

Yes. A flashing green light means the inverter is converting and feeding power into your circuit, and that happens with or without a phone anywhere near it. The app is monitoring, not control. It is also worth knowing what it can and cannot tell you: it reports what the inverter produced and nothing else, so it cannot show what your home was drawing at the time or how much went to the grid.

I set a new PIN and I have lost it. What now?

The inverter has to be reset by unplugging and replugging it three times from/to the wall outlet, waiting 6 seconds between each unplug and replug. If this doesn't work, contact Hoymiles support at 205-395-5515.

This comes up constantly in the Bright Saver Community in the first days after a kit arrives, where members compare notes on what finally worked for them.